​New Resume-filtering technology means the old Resume rules may no longer apply. Recruiting technology, like the increasingly prevalent applicant tracking system (ATS), is making it easier and faster for job-seekers to find and apply to their ideal employment opportunities.
Talent acquisition professionals also appreciate the multiple benefits of an ATS, one of which is reducing the burden of reading hundreds, if not thousands, of résumés to find the right candidate for a position.

The real culprit for the so-called “black hole” of applicant screening technology isn’t the ATS itself, but rather outdated rules for creating a résumé.

It’s time for a real paradigm shift in how we tell job-seekers to write their résumés—rules that will help candidates and opportunities connect in more powerful, easier ways.

The Dos:

Use Keywords from the job description in your Resume.

Put your contact information at the top of the page [not in a header].

Use an executive summary and create a bulleted list of qualification and skills.

Use web-standard fonts [such as Arial, Tahoma, or Verdana].

Follow best practices when formatting work history information: start with the employer name, followed by your title, then the dates you held the tile.

Use proper capitalization and punctuation.

Spell check.

Upload your resume, rather than cutting and pasting.

The Don’ts:

Don’t feel forced to adhere to the standard 1-page Resume.

Don’t get hung up on fancy formatting. Focus on clearly organized sections.

Don’t use abbreviations.

Don’t use tables.

Don’t use graphics or logos.

Don’t use header or footer.

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Don’t submit a PDF. They are unreadable by some software.

As more employers use ATSs, it’s vital for candidates to upgrade their resumes to help ensure they don’t get overlooked.
​Resumes should now be optimized to stand out to an ATS, not just to a recruiter or hiring manager.